3 Tips for Working at Home without Feeling Isolated

Beth Worthy

6/18/2018

If you are a work-from-home mom (or dad) working as a transcriber, you already know how “being your own boss” feels. You can wake up at any time you like, set your own working hours, and not have to constantly look over your shoulders for your boss.

However, too much of anything is poisonous, and this also applies to working from home.

Most transcribers face a major challenge at one point in time when working from home: isolation.

If you live alone and work from home, you may go for days without talking to anyone in person. Yes, Skype and phone calls are a welcome relief and help to maintain relationships, but physical contact is more important.

To avoid feeling isolated, it is important to take deliberate efforts to maintain your emotional well-being. Below are three tips you can follow to keep your sanity and ensure you enjoy working from home.

Change Your Working Area

Yes, a transcription job is a work-at-home opportunity. However, no one said you have to work entirely from your home.

Take regular breaks and change your working area to a different place that will get you around people. For example, you can decide to work at the local café every Friday. The change of environment and noise level, a quick word with someone about the weather, and just seeing people going about their business, can make you more productive.

Of course, the change of scenery will only work if you are in a business that does not require a quiet environment, such as, graphic design. If you are a transcriptionist, consider a quiet place where you can work beside other people, such as, your local library.

Any Project Size, At Your Deadline.

Computer Blackout Periods

Most work-at-home entrepreneurs spend 100 percent of their time in front of a laptop. When you have looming deadlines to beat or are working on your own online business, you can become addicted to your laptop.

Do you usually take your laptop with you to bed? This can be a sign that you are addicted to it.

When you are working from home, you may feel that you have to be occupied all the time. This feeling can lead to frustration and guilt whenever you don’t have your laptop. However, there is much more to life than working on your laptop.

Schedule regular “computer blackout” periods to help you rediscover yourself. During these periods, do something that is not related to work. For example, you can walk your dog, visit someone, stop by the library to read, or even go to the gym.

Being away from the computer for a short time, perhaps for just an hour or two, will refresh your mind. Moreover, during these breaks, you can meet other people that can fill your emotional needs.

Connect with Other Online Transcriptionists

Finally, make an effort to connect with other transcriptionists that work online, both for friendship and support. For example, join Facebook transcriptionists’ groups and take part in the discussions. The groups can also be great for learning, as well as forming new friendships. Prefer reading? There are many work-from-home blogs where you can connect with amazing transcriptionists.

Following the three tips above will go a long way to ensure you do not feel isolated when working from home. Which tip will you start implementing today?

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Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy is the Director of Operations for GMR Transcription Services, Inc an Orange County, California based company that has been providing accurate and affordable transcription services since 2004. She has enjoyed success at GMR for almost ten years now and has helped the company grow. Within two years of Beth managing GMR Transcription, it had doubled in sales and was named one of the OC Business Journal’s fastest-growing private companies. Outside of work, she likes spending time with her husband and two kids.